


Safety in Vulnerability

by DemyxDancer



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Comfort, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Gem touching, Lapidot Week 2020, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, Not Technically Sex, Peridot Deserves Praise, wholesome as fuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:21:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23973694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemyxDancer/pseuds/DemyxDancer
Summary: Peridot is a certified kindergartener, well-versed in the workings of a gemstone. Of course she understands the mechanics of gem touching... in theory. Unfortunately, understanding a theory and being confronted with your very real girlfriend's very real gemstone are two very different things.
Relationships: Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe)
Comments: 83
Kudos: 202





	1. Ocean Waves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told myself I'd never write explicit fanfic, but this story was starting to turn out a lot smuttier than I intended, so I decided to just roll with it. I blame the quarantine.
> 
> The original prompt was "first kiss."

Peridot cursed her safety goggles, cursed her noise-cancelling headphones, cursed her intense focus on her Robonoid upgrades. Because of all of those, she had missed the first tell-tale signs of Lapis’ distress, and now she was tossing violently in the hammock, small whimpers escaping from her lips. It had been happening far less frequently lately, which made Peridot feel all the more guilty that she had missed this time.

She quickly used a nearby metal chair to hoist herself into the hammock, gently shaking Lapis awake. “Lapis? Lapis, wake up!” Occasionally this action had resulted in her getting seized by a water wing as a half-asleep Lapis responded to what she perceived to be a threat, but that was a small risk to take.

“Peridot?” Lapis’ eyes flew open. Thankfully, instead of lashing out, she immediately embraced Peridot, clinging to her tightly, her form shaking.

“It’s okay, Lapis. I’m here. You’re safe.” Peridot wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, doing her best to project warm comfort. “You were just having a nightmare. Everything’s okay.”

“I saw the mirror,” said Lapis. “It was like… all of this was fake. You, our home, all of it was something I had come up with while I was still trapped.”

“That’s not true!” said Peridot, alarmed. “This is all real. I’m real. I promise.”

“I know, but it felt so…” Lapis trailed off. “I’m sorry, Peri. I haven’t had a nightmare that bad in a while. I don’t know why…?”

“Don’t apologize, Lapis! Maybe it’s just random, or something just happened to remind you of… you know. It doesn’t matter. What can I do to help?”

“Just hold me. Please?”

“Of course.” Peridot snuggled Lapis closer. She didn’t realize her fingers were brushing up against her gemstone until Lapis suddenly shuddered.

“Sorry!” Peridot apologized quickly, removing her hands from Lapis’ back. “I didn’t mean to touch your gem.”

The gemstone was the core of a Gem’s being, the most vulnerable part of them. Gem touching was therefore considered extremely intimate. Like most expressions of intimacy, it had been against the law in Era 2. Peridot had always avoided touching Lapis’ gemstone, even after they had become romantically involved. She had no idea how Lapis felt about it, and didn’t want to risk making her uncomfortable.

Now, however, Lapis was blushing fiercely. “It’s okay. It was an accident. It was actually… nice.” Her eyes wandered, and her lips moved without making a sound. She was clearly debating with herself over whether to say something, so Peridot sat silently and let her think. “You could actually do that again. If you wanted to.”

Peridot’s eyes widened in surprise. “You want me to touch your gem?”

“Is that weird?” Lapis’ blush deepened. “We’ve been together a while, and I trust you. You don’t have to do it if it makes you uncomfortable. I’m just saying that you _could.”_

Peridot felt as if her mind were short-circuiting. Prior to Era 3, most Gems considered a Peridot to be something like a piece of sentient machinery, so she had never even thought about gem touching, except in a purely clinical sense. Her kindergarten certification made her an expert on gemstones, so she knew the theory behind it -- touching a gemstone with hard light produced temporary but intense microdisruptions in the other Gem’s central processing, causing a state of relaxation and euphoria.

That was the theory, anyway, which did not at all prepare her for the reality of Lapis’ offer and her blushing face.

“Are you sure?”

“Only if you’re okay with it! I’m really wound up from that nightmare, and it felt really good when you brushed against me. Or we could just cuddle!” she added hastily, self-conscious.

Peridot swallowed hard. Nervous as she was, if this was something Lapis wanted, then she wanted very much to try to give it to her. “Okay,” she said, mustering up her courage. “Just tell me if you want me to stop, okay?”

Lapis nodded, still blushing, but now with an eager smile on her face. “I will.” 

As she reached her arms around Lapis, pulling her close again, she steadfastly avoided thinking too hard about what she was about to do, lest she lose her nerve. She reached into the space on Lapis’ back that she was so used to trying to avoid, fingers carefully bumping up against the slightly warm gemstone, causing Lapis to shudder involuntarily again. This time, however, Peridot didn’t pull away, allowing her fingers to linger softly. “Is this okay?”

“Yes. Yes, _please.”_

Encouraged, Peridot experimentally ran her finger along the smooth, curved gemstone. The contact made her entire hand feel like it was buzzing with energy. Lapis made a small noise of contentment and buried her face into Peridot’s shoulder, which Peridot took as a good sign. She traced around Lapis’ gemstone, mildly irritated that her fingers could be so precise and methodical when repairing delicate machinery but so clumsy when she was attempting something _far more important._ Judging from Lapis’ reaction, though, it didn’t actually seem to matter.

“What does that feel like?” she asked.

“Amazing,” said Lapis. “I’ve never felt anything like this.” Her tone was slow and dreamy, her words slurring slightly.

Experimentally, Peridot located what felt like the exact center of Lapis’ gem, and she pushed down slightly, as though it were a button. “Oh!” Lapis cried out, her form going rigid briefly before collapsing entirely onto Peridot.

“Oh my stars!” said Peridot, fearful that she had gone too far. She hoisted Lapis off of her, holding her up by the upper arms. “Was that too much? Are you okay?”

Lapis’ eyes were glassy and unfocused. “No, it was really good, just surprising. This is all really… intense.” She blinked, looking as though she were trying to come back to reality. “Are _you_ okay?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be okay?” That wasn’t _entirely_ true. The tension of the unfamiliar situation was causing her to have a mild headache. Even more alarming, this entire experience was stirring up a cocktail of complicated feelings that she didn’t know even existed within her, ones that she was having a lot of difficulty processing. “Why don’t we take a break for a few?”

“Mmm, okay,” said Lapis, smiling.

Peridot had expected her to be disappointed, but instead she still seemed to be lost in a blissful dream, further stoking her curiosity about what exactly it was she had done to her girlfriend. She settled into the hammock, pulling Lapis on top of her. Lapis hummed in contentment and snuggled into Peridot’s embrace the way she did sometimes when she was half-asleep, almost treating Peridot as though she were a comforting stuffed toy. It was hard to imagine that just a few minutes ago she had been shaking with fright from a nightmare. 

Her concern that asking questions would somehow kill the mood was battling it out within her with her need to _be Peridot_ , which inevitably won out. “So, was that… what _was_ that?”

“I’m not sure how to describe it,” said Lapis, still sounding very much pleasure-drunk. “It’s just… good. Really, really good, like there’s nothing else in the world but the amazing feeling in your gem. And it was making my whole form feel relaxed, like I could hardly even move. Like I didn’t even _want_ to move, because I was so happy and safe.” Her tone of voice indicated that trying to recall her euphoria was causing her to get lost in it again.

“Just touching your gemstone did all of that?” Peridot was partially pleased that she could give her girlfriend such an experience, and baffled that such a simple action could have such profound effects. Lapis sounded so sincere that she didn’t doubt that she meant what she said.

“I could try it on you, if you wanted to know. I bet you’d love it.” Lapis was looking up at Peridot’s gemstone with an intensity that bordered on frightening.

“I am curious,” she admitted, “but not right now.” As curious as she was, she wasn’t entirely sure about having her faculties leave her behind like that, especially while Lapis was still clearly incapacitated. “I want to take care of you now, okay?”

“Peri,” she said, suddenly serious, perhaps not quite as incapacitated as Peridot had assumed. “You’re not doing that thing where you’re only taking care of my needs and ignoring your own, right? Because we talked about this.”

“No, no! I genuinely want to take care of you right now. I promise you can make it up to me later. I might even want to try… you know. The gem touching.” She could feel her cheeks burning.

“Well, okay. I’m going to hold you to that, though. Letting me take care of you later, I mean,” said Lapis, settling down on top of Peridot again. “Were you really okay with everything we just did? You need to be honest with me about this. It’s important.”

She was trying. They had done a lot of work on communication and honesty, neither of them wanting to repeat the painful mistakes of their past. Peridot owed it to her to try to be honest as well. “Yes, but it’s a bit complicated. I enjoyed getting to please you and see you so happy, but… I have a lot of feelings about it!”

“Good or bad feelings?”

“Yes,” said Peridot. “Mostly good, though. Conflicted? It’s your gemstone, Lapis, should we really be using it for that… purpose…?"

“I trust you.”

The simple sincerity of the statement made Peridot melt. “What if I do something wrong?”

“You weren’t, Peri, not at all. You were doing great. And if you did something wrong, I’d tell you to stop.”

“I suppose so.” Her desire to try their little experiment again was growing as Lapis soothed her objections. “Have you ever done this before?”

Like most things that were outlawed in Era 2, Peridot knew very well that the elites indulged in intimacy behind closed doors. She knew this because she had occasionally found a couple of Gems entangled in a maintenance closet or server room, forcing her to pretend she didn’t see them and come back later. Lapis having partaken of these activities in the past was certainly not out of the question.

“No, I never did. I didn’t trust anyone enough for that. A lot of the Gems who were into it treated it as some kind of dominance, too.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you saw. I could barely even move or form a coherent sentence. It leaves you pretty vulnerable. A lot of Gems treated anything like that as some kind of power play. I didn’t want to get involved.”

The talk of dominance and vulnerability was stirring up some of those deep, confusing feelings that Peridot was trying to avoid. Her cheeks flushed as she couldn’t help picturing herself, completely blissed out, at her girlfriend’s mercy. She tried to push it aside. They weren’t doing that… today.

“You’re not like that,” Lapis continued. “I know you’re not going to hurt me. Like I said, I trust you.”

“I’m glad,” said Peridot, smiling down at Lapis. “I think… I really enjoyed that experience. I think it might help if I had some more practice, though.” 

“Well, I thought you were doing just fine, but if you really think you need to practice…” Lapis grinned.

“I’m the one taking care of you tonight, remember? What would you like?”

“I’d like to try that again,” said Lapis. “Please?”

Peridot nodded, giddy with the thrill of anticipation. “Okay. What if you got on your stomach this time? It might make things easier.”

Peridot expected Lapis might refuse. She didn’t like to sleep that way because she hated openly projecting her dreams. To Peridot’s surprise, Lapis quite eagerly rolled off of Peridot and laid there with her gemstone exposed. “How’s that?”

“Perfect,” said Peridot, taking a moment to admire her girlfriend’s perfect cut. “You really do have a truly exquisite gemstone, did I ever tell you that?”

“You have, but I thought maybe it was just a weird kindergartener thing, like it’s mathematically optimal or something.”

“Well, it is!” said Peridot, defensive. “But it’s also just… you know. Pretty. Scientifically speaking.” She grinned awkwardly. “I’m really happy you’d trust me with something so precious.”

“Of course,” she said, as though that were the most natural thing in the world.

Peridot reached out and traced her finger around the contours of Lapis’ gemstone. Lapis immediately relaxed into the touch, a sigh of contentment escaping her lips.

“How’s that?”

“Amazing. Please, don’t ever stop.”

It was much easier for Peridot to run her finger smoothly along Lapis’ gem now that Lapis was laid out in front of her. She spent several minutes just gently tracing patterns along the gem’s surface, watching as her girlfriend’s eyes became heavy lidded and glassy with pleasure, a dazed smile gracing her face. Peridot stopped for a moment to lift up Lapis’ head by the chin and give her a kiss on the lips, one which was eagerly returned. Once she had had her fill of kissing, she returned her attention to the gemstone, tapping very lightly across its surface, causing Lapis to emit tiny moans.

She returned to tracing circular patterns across the gemstone’s surface. Lapis was completely still, looking more relaxed and content than Peridot had ever seen her before, lost to the world in a haze of bliss. Peridot was starting to feel strangely content herself, all of her nervousness about pleasing Lapis draining away. Her touches grew slower and slower as Peridot began to lose herself in sweet daydreams about cuddling with Lapis, kissing Lapis, Lapis gazing into her eyes as she ran her thumb across Peridot’s gem...

Her head pitched forward, jerking her awake and startling her out of her stupor. Lapis blinked slowly. “Hm? You alright?”

“I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong.” She kissed Lapis on the forehead, restoring her girlfriend’s blissful state. Her hand was still tingling, and she could feel a similar tingling in her own gemstone. Clearly, the prolonged gem touching had been starting to affect her as well. She would have to be a little more careful.

...or less careful, depending on what she actually wanted.

With her other hand, she ran all four of her fingers across Lapis’ gemstone at once, causing Lapis to gasp in surprise. “Is that all right?”

“Do that again!” said Lapis.

Peridot did so, slower this time, as Lapis shuddered with pleasure. She continued to brush the gemstone with her entire hand. “How are you feeling now?”

“I love you, Peridot,” came the reply.

“I love you, too,” said Peridot, smiling. “That doesn’t really answer my question, though.”

“I don’t care. I love you, and I love the way you make me feel, and I love how you care so much. I don’t tell you that enough,” Lapis rambled in drunken sincerity. “I’ve never felt so _safe_ before. I never want it to stop.”

“I’m really happy I got to do this for you,” said Peridot, her gemstone once again buzzing with contact pleasure. “We will have to stop _sometime,_ though. But I promise I’ll do it again.”

“Mmm, I’ll look forward to it,” said Lapis, her eyes drifting closed.

Peridot looked down once more at the deep blue, shimmering gemstone, seized with a sudden, wild urge. “Lapis? Can I… kiss you?”

“Yes?” said Lapis, confused. 

“I mean on your gemstone,” Peridot hastily clarified.

“Oh!” Lapis opened her eyes, surprised. “That sounds like the best idea you’ve ever had.” She giggled, a rare sound coming from her, one which filled Peridot with glee. “I’m sorry, I’m totally out of it. Everything just feels so good. I must sound ridiculous.”

“That’s the whole point of this, isn’t it?” said Peridot, rubbing her thumb across the gem, applying mild pressure that caused Lapis to gasp in delight. “You don’t have to worry about sounding ridiculous. I love you, and I’m here to take care of you.”

“Mmhmm, okay,” said Lapis. “So were you gonna kiss me?”

Peridot brought her lips down to the gemstone’s surface. It felt warm and smooth, and if the contact buzz was strong when she was touching it with her hand, it was much stronger here. She realized the incoherent noise was coming from her, not Lapis, as she suddenly found herself swimming in pure euphoria. She could somehow feel Lapis’ arms around her, holding her close and keeping her safe, and at the same time she could smell the fresh ocean breeze and feel waves washing over her on a warm summer day. It was as though nothing else in the universe had ever existed except for her and Lapis, drifting along together in peace and bliss.

The gemstone suddenly glowed bright blue as Lapis cried out, causing Peridot to break contact and come partially back to her senses, her head still spinning. Lapis was relaxing again -- when had she tensed up? She opened her eyes and looked at Peridot, her gaze filled with adoration, making the pleasure-addled Peridot melt.

“Thank you, Peri,” she said, and Peridot felt as though she had never loved Lapis more than she had right at that moment.

“You’re welcome,” Peridot said, wishing she could think of something more eloquent to say. “What would you like now?”

“Wanna cuddle you,” said Lapis, struggling to roll over onto her side. Peridot aided her, and soon she was snuggled firmly into the little spoon position as Lapis wrapped her arms around her.

Lapis’ arms relaxed again, and Peridot could guess that she had probably gone to sleep -- understandable, after all of _that._ She wanted to stay awake and savor her feelings longer, but the combination of tension and bliss she had experienced was quickly catching up to her. She stopped fighting it and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep, dreaming of Lapis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a planned second part with Lapis' reciprocation for Peridot, assuming I don't get skittish enough to tear this down and forget the whole thing.


	2. A Field of Sunflowers

She just couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Ever since Lapis had let her touch her gem, it kept turning up in her mind at the most inappropriate times -- mostly while she was trying to get work done. Truth be told, it was starting to drive her a little up the wall.

Thinking about what had happened -- about Lapis crying out under her touch, about how her gemstone had felt -- that was fine. It made perfect sense that she would be dwelling on such an intense and thrilling experience. There was no question that she wanted to do all of that to Lapis again -- maybe even improving on her past performance -- as soon as a good opportunity arose.

Imagining Lapis returning the favor and touching her gem, well, that one wasn’t hard to explain either. Why _wouldn’t_ she want to try out something that was clearly so enjoyable, with the Gem that she trusted most? Lapis had indicated that she wanted to do so, and Peridot anticipated her bringing it up again with a mixture of thrill and dread.

Dread -- because there were other thoughts she was having that were a lot harder for her to explain, that were starting to make her think that there was something wrong with her. Thoughts like Lapis grabbing her and pinning her arms above her head, kissing at her gemstone while she helplessly squirmed. Thoughts like Lapis ordering her to please her and telling her she was doing _such a good job_. 

_Those_ thoughts were the kind that made no sense. She loved Era 3, and she loved being an independent Gem who could do whatever she wanted with her life. Why did it thrill her so much to think about obeying commands and being praised? Why did this keep coming up whenever she thought about gem touching? If Lapis found out what she was thinking, she might never want to have fun like that again.

And so, several days after the original gem touching incident _,_ she returned home in a huff. She had spent twice as long troubleshooting a simple water pump problem than usual, simply because she kept getting distracted.

“How was your day?” said Lapis, putting down her book.

“Could’ve been better,” said Peridot.

“Sounds like you need a break.” A devilish smile appeared on Lapis’ face as she turned her full attention towards Peridot. “Would this be a good time for me to take care of you? Maybe… touch your gemstone?”

Peridot’s emotions felt like a washing machine on the spin cycle. She wanted that -- did she _ever_ want that, but she still hadn’t gotten her weirder feelings under control. 

Still, she wouldn’t dream of refusing. All she needed to do was keep those feelings tightly suppressed, even while her faculties were severely diminished by microdisruptions in her processing. No pressure.

“Uh -- yes. Yes, I would like to try that! if you’re okay with it.”

“Way more than _okay_ with it, Peri,” she said. “Why don’t you get in the hammock, and I’ll come join you?”

“Okay!” Peridot climbed into the hammock and sat there, brimming with anticipation, as Lapis flew up. She positioned herself behind Peridot, and pulled her into her lap so that her back was towards Lapis. 

“How’s this? Comfy?”

“Yes, very,” said Peridot. Lapis had full access to her gem from this position. The thing she had been dreaming about for days was really happening.

“Let me know if you want me to stop, okay?” said Lapis.

“Yes, I will.”

The words were barely out of her mouth before an eager Lapis placed her finger on Peridot’s gem, swirling it around lightly. The effect on Peridot was profound and immediate, barely giving her time to process what was happening before she was plunged into a dreamy state of happiness and calm. She could feel her entire form relaxing, her extremities going loose and limp. Her higher thought processes went overboard as her mind filled with an irresistible blissful haze, sending her into sweet visions of Lapis holding her, keeping her safe, praising her, _commanding her…_

“How are you feeling, Peri?”

“Like I would do anything for you, my Lapis Lazuli,” Peridot mumbled in her euphoric stupor.

Lapis laughed softly. “What did you say?”

“I would --”

Oh stars. That was _weird,_ wasn’t it? That was those one of those weird thoughts she had been trying to suppress so hard.

The realization jolted her back into awareness hard, her head instinctively pulling away from Lapis’ touch.

“Peri, what’s the matter?” said Lapis, alarmed.

Peridot fought down her panic. She had completely ruined the moment. “Nothing! I’m sorry, Lapis.”

“That was obviously not _nothing._ If you don’t like having your gem touched, we don’t have to do it. Just talk to me.”

“No, it isn’t that, it’s definitely not _that._ That felt amazing. I just… I don’t…”

“It’s okay,” said Lapis, wrapping her arms around Peridot’s shoulders to comfort her. “It’s going to be okay, I promise. I just need to know what’s going on with you. Whatever it is, we can work through it, okay?”

Truthfully, Peridot still struggled with being honest with Lapis instead of just swallowing her own feelings and saying whatever would please her. Still, she didn’t think she had a choice here. If she didn’t come clean about her feelings, she would probably keep ruining perfectly good gem touching sessions, leaving both her and Lapis dissatisfied. Even if Lapis thought she was out of her mind, it was a risk she would need to take.

“Ever since… you know… a few days ago, I’ve been thinking about gem touching. A lot,” she started.

“Oh, Peri. Let me guess. You’ve been way overthinking everything.”

“Maybe.” Peridot sighed in frustration. “I _loved_ what I did for you. I was totally honest about that, and I don’t want you to think otherwise.”

“I don’t.”

“The problem is, when it comes to what I want you to do for me, I’m more…” She searched for the right term. “Conflicted.”

“I can understand that. It’s really intense.”

“Intensity isn’t really the problem,” she said. “Look, just let me say it so I can get it over with. Every time I think about you touching my gem, I also start thinking about… other things. Weird fantasies like you being my supervisor and commanding me to do things. Praising me and rewarding me for following orders. Putting myself at your mercy…” As all of her private dreams came spilling forth, Peridot realized belatedly that she was probably still a little bit under the influence of the gemstone euphoria, significantly reducing the filter between her mind and her mouth.

“Oh, is that it?” said Lapis. “That’s what you’re worried about?”

“What do you _mean_ ‘is that it?’ That’s all completely wrong! I’m a Crystal Gem! I shouldn’t be thinking about being submissive to authority like I’m back in Era 2. I don’t know why I’m thinking those things, or what they have to do with gem touching, but I can’t make them stop _._ ”

“Do you have to make them stop? That all sounds kind of fun to me.”

“That -- what? Really?” That was most certainly _not_ the response Peridot was expecting.

“Sure! You _were_ really, really cute when you called me your Lapis Lazuli, you know?” Lapis snuggled Peridot in closer. “I can try giving you orders and praise. That doesn’t sound so hard.”

“You would do that? Isn’t that wrong?”

“Wrong how? It’s just pretend, right?”

“I… suppose. But I still don’t understand why I’d want those things at all.”

“Y’know, it’s not really surprising that you’d like to be praised, Peri,” said Lapis, tousling her hair affectionately. “You’re always so worried about getting things right, and -- wait, I bet that’s where this is coming from.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re nervous about this, and worried you’re going to do something wrong. If I’m telling you what to do and whether or not you’re doing it right, you don’t need to worry so much. You might actually be able to enjoy yourself.”

“Huh,” said Peridot, turning it over in her head. “That makes a lot of sense, actually. But wouldn’t you feel weird doing that?”

“Maybe a little,” she admitted. “But that’s no reason not to try. Besides, I’ve got a confession of my own.” She leaned in closer to Peridot. “Ever since the time you touched my gem, all I’ve been thinking about is how I can reduce you to an incoherent mess. If this is what it takes, then I think I’ll enjoy myself just fine.”

“Um…” Peridot didn’t know what to say to that. All of those deep feelings she had been trying to avoid were stirred up harder than they ever had been before, so tantalizing that she struggled to put it into words. “If that’s how you feel… I would like to try as well.”

“If we do this, you have to promise me something. If I do anything that makes you uncomfortable, you have to tell me to stop, okay? Even if you’re worried about ruining my fun or hurting my feelings. You understand that, right?”

“Yes, I do. I promise,” said Peridot. 

“Good,” said Lapis, leaning in so close their faces were touching, her voice low. “Then you belong to me now, my Peridot.”

Peridot’s eyes grew wide and starry. Hearing Lapis actually say those words was so much better than any fantasy. All she could manage in response was a strangled squeak.

“Ooh, you like that, don’t you? Is that what you wanted?”

“Yes,” Peridot answered hastily.

“Now, now, my Peridot, is that how you speak to your superior? What _should_ you have said?”

“Yes, my Lapis Lazuli!” said Peridot, giving a Diamond salute -- it came so naturally to her, despite not having done it in years.

“Goooood Gem,” Lapis purred in her ear.

 _Oh, stars._ Those two little words made Peridot feel as though she were melting with desire, as though she were already gem-touched despite Lapis being nowhere near her gemstone.

“You’ve been working so hard. You’re _such_ a good little Peridot, aren’t you? So smart and obedient. It’s time for your supervisor to give you a reward.”

Peridot could hardly take it. She had never wanted anything so badly in her life. “Yes, _please,_ my Lapis Lazuli.”

“Good Gem,” said Lapis, as Peridot shivered in delight. “You’re going to offer up your gemstone to me, and I’m going to touch it however I please. Your job is to not hold back from any of the feelings you’re going to have, okay? I want to make you so relaxed and happy you can’t even think straight. Do you understand, my Peridot?”

“Yes, I understand.” She tilted her head upwards, showing off her gem for her beloved girlfriend.

“Hmm, I think I’d like you to turn around and lie back. I want to see you face to face.”

“Yes, my Lapis Lazuli!” Eager to please, she did exactly as Lapis said.

Lapis climbed on top of her, straddling her midsection. “Let me see my prize,” she said, holding Peridot’s face by the chin, turning it gently so she could examine her gem. “Such a beautiful gemstone. Such a gorgeous shade of green. A Peridot like you is ideal for my service.”

The part of Peridot who might have found that silly had long since disappeared. She was utterly entranced by Lapis’ every motion. “Thank you, my Lapis Lazuli. I’m proud to serve you.”

There was hunger in Lapis’ eyes as she slowly brought her thumb down to rest on Peridot’s gemstone. “Good Gem,” she said, applying light pressure.

If Peridot had felt good the first time Lapis had touched her gem, it was nothing compared to what she felt now. Any resistance to pleasure melted away as though it were wet paper. Her entire being was consumed by joy and desire. As Lapis moved her thumb in small circular motions, Peridot felt her form relaxing utterly, as though it were a useless husk attached to her gemstone. She was dimly aware that she was making sounds. It didn’t matter. Nothing at all mattered but that wonderful feeling and the amazing Gem who was providing it to her.

Lapis leaned her face close. “You deserve this,” she said, sending yet more pleasure coursing through Peridot. “You deserve everything I’m doing to you right now. All this pleasure is your reward for being _such a good Peridot._ ”

“Oh… stars…!” 

“Don’t worry about anything. I’m here to keep you safe and take care of you, because you’re my Peridot, and I love you.”

“I love you too, my Lapis Lazuli!” 

“What are you thinking right now?”

“I want to please you, my Lapis Lazuli! I’ll do _anything_ to please you! I love you so much, and you make me feel so good, and I’m so grateful that you’re giving me this reward! I want to be a good Peridot just for you!” She said all of this without the slightest hint of self-consciousness, her mind now entirely in the grip of gemstone euphoria, fully committed to her fantasy come true.

Lapis smiled down at her, and Peridot had never seen anything more beautiful in her whole life. “You do please me, my Peridot. You please me more than anything.”

“Ahhhhh…” Her words and her soft touches melted Peridot.

“You have some lovely edges on your pretty gemstone,” said Lapis. “I wonder what happens if I do this?” She took her thumb and ran it right along one of Peridot’s facet edges.

“Ah -- ah!” Peridot cried out. Her form, which she had assumed was rendered incapable of movement, bucked slightly under the new sensation.

“Oh, that’s _fun,_ ” said Lapis. “Mind if I do it again?”

Peridot, incapable of words, simply nodded.

Lapis grinned and swiped her thumb along Peridot’s other two edges. The sensation was different than the center of her gemstone in a way that was difficult to describe. Less relaxing and sharper, slicing through her thoughts like a laser cutter through aluminum. 

“So what’s this doing to you, anyway?” asked Lapis.

Peridot’s mouth flopped open as she produced noises that were not even close to words.

“Oh, wow, that’s hitting you pretty hard, isn’t it? Still okay?”

She managed to nod.

“That’s right. You don’t need to be able to talk, or think, because I’m keeping you nice and safe. Good Gem.”

Peridot’s eyes nearly rolled back in bliss as more incoherent noises escaped her lips.

“Now, what happens if I go back to this?”

Lapis used her thumb to rub at the main portion of Peridot’s gemstone again. Going from the sharp stimulus on her edges to the softer feelings of her main facet was like plunging into a pool of sun-warmed water. The sudden wave of pure euphoria was strong enough that she almost couldn’t keep her eyes open. 

Lapis used both of her thumbs to rub at Peridot’s gemstone, sending Peridot further into her dreamy haze. “How’s this? Are you enjoying your reward, my sweet Peridot?”

“More than anything, my Lapis Lazuli,” she muttered softly, surprising herself with the ability to form words.

“How do you feel?”

“Safe, and happy, like everything is exactly how it’s meant to be,” she said, gazing up at Lapis in pure adoration.

“I love seeing you this way,” said Lapis, applying slow, gentle circles to her girlfriend’s gem. “You deserve so much happiness, and you don’t always let yourself have it.”

Peridot wanted to say something profoundly eloquent to express how much this meant to her, but that required higher thought processes that she had long since lost access to. “I’m so glad I belong to you.”

Lapis stopped rubbing at Peridot’s gemstone and caressed her cheek. “We really belong to each other, though,” she said, her silly grin indicating that the gem-touching was getting to her as well. She kissed Peridot softly on the lips, and the simple, familiar action felt like returning home after a long day.

“I want to kiss your gemstone,” said Lapis, as she pulled away.

“Oh, yes, please…!”

“I have one last command for you, my Peridot, and it’s really important, okay?”

Peridot nodded eagerly.

“Don’t hold anything back. You’re safe with me and have nothing to fear. I want to see you let go. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes, my Lapis Lazuli, I can do anything for you,” she said, dreamily.

Lapis brought her lips close, stopping just short of Peridot’s gem. “Good Gem,” she said, the soundwaves sending vibrations through Peridot’s core before she planted a kiss right in the center of the gemstone.

It was like warm ocean waves washing over her, just like before, but this time there was more than that. For a moment it was as though she had never been hurt, never felt pain, and everything was at peace. It was like her home, the hammock, even her form didn’t exist and were just illusions. The only thing that existed was her gemstone, held safely in Lapis’ hands, as her girlfriend caressed her and told her everything would be okay.

“Peri?”

She struggled to open her eyes.

“Peri? Are you okay? Was that too much?”

“So good,” Peridot managed through the fog in her mind. Now that her ecstasy was starting to fade, she was a lot more aware of how non-functional she was.

“Oh, good, for a second I thought you were going to spontaneously poof,” said Lapis. She rolled off of Peridot, settling in next to her and cuddling her close. “How do you feel?”

She felt as though all of her anxieties, insecurities and peripheral worries had been washed away, leaving only the pure core of her being behind. That was too abstract of a concept for her to express at the moment, though, so she settled on, “Amazing. Perfect. Also, completely useless.”

“You’re not useless, Peri.” Lapis laughed and planted a kiss on her cheek. “You did great. You’re a good Gem.”

Now that Peridot was spent, the phrase was no longer electrically charged, but it still made her feel warm and fuzzy. “You were great, too. I can’t believe you did all of that for me.”

“Of course! It wasn’t _just_ for you, though. Do you think I didn’t enjoy seeing you thrash around and call out my name?”

Peridot blushed. “I did _what?”_

“Do you really not remember? I guess I really did do a number on you. Don’t be embarrassed, though! I loved it.” 

Peridot was still too relaxed and peaceful for her embarrassment to last more than a few seconds. “I’m glad, then.”

“Hey, can I ask you something? What did I feel like when you kissed your Gem the other day?”

Peridot knew exactly what she meant. “You felt like ocean waves. Very warm and comforting.”

“Oh, that sounds nice.”

“It is! What did I feel like, then?”

“Like lying in a field of sunflowers.”

Peridot could imagine the times she and Lapis did just that -- the softly swaying flowers, the cool breeze, the smell of plants and earth. “I like that. A field of sunflowers is a good thing to be.”

“It really is.”

They lay there in silence for a few moments, Peridot cuddled close to Lapis. Her comfortable position and the lingering effects of euphoria were making her eyelids grow heavy and her thoughts start to drift. She shook her head, fighting off sleep, wanting to enjoy this time longer.

“Lapis? Do you think we could do this again sometime?”

“Is that a serious question?” Peridot could hear the smile in Lapis’ voice. “I can’t _wait_ until the next time I can do all of this for you again. I’ll be lucky if I can get any work done, because I’ll be thinking up more fun things I can do with you.”

Peridot hummed in contentment. “I’ll look forward to it. Maybe I can come up with some new things myself.”

“I’m sure you will. You _are_ a very good Peridot.”

“That’s right, I am. And you’re the galaxy’s best Lapis Lazuli.”

Secure in the knowledge that this wouldn’t be the last time, Peridot allowed her eyes to close, as she fell into a deeply restful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I likely have one more chapter, concerning the experimentation, rolelplay and other fun stuff these two get up to now that they're more comfortable with things.
> 
> Thanks for being so supportive of my silly Gem smut.


	3. A Shared Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things I thought I'd do in 2020: join a yoga class, go to concerts and museums, professional development
> 
> Things I've actually done in 2020: lock myself up in my apartment and write Gem smut
> 
> Note: This chapter contains a consensual roleplay scene of Lapis "capturing" Peridot. The scenario being roleplayed is dubcon, but it's very lighthearted, discussed beforehand, and both parties are eager participants. Just a fair warning if you're very sensitive to such material.

“Hey, Peri, you’ve been working on that for hours. Don’t you think you should take a break?”

Peridot, startled by the sudden intrusion into her thoughts, flipped up her goggles and turned around. Lapis was hanging over the edge of the hammock, kicking her legs. She glanced over at the clock on the wall -- she really _had_ been working for almost eight hours straight. Her sustainable kindergarten project was so critical to the success of Era 3 and so personally engrossing that she had been working long hours a lot lately, probably too much. She definitely owed Lapis some quality time, and honestly, she owed herself some quality time with Lapis.

“You’re right. I can take a break. Just give me a few minutes to get this cleaned up and put away.” She had been trying to get better at organization, especially since her lair was now more occupied with her official project and not just her personal hobbies. “Did you have something in mind?”

“Well…” 

Peridot could practically hear the mischievous grin in Lapis’ voice.

“Could you remind me what your safe word is?”

Peridot nearly fumbled the sample she was holding. Oh, so _that_ was the kind of break Lapis wanted. It had been a while, too. Too long.

“Socks,” said Peridot, as calmly as she could muster, pretending she didn’t understand the implications.

“Oh, right. And what are you wearing right now?”

“Just my uniform,” she said. _Not socks,_ she thought.

“Good to know,” said Lapis.

A split second later, a bubble of water was surrounding Peridot’s gemstone.

They had experimented with gem touching a lot since their first time a year ago, but no discovery had been so important as figuring out that Lapis’ water wings had enough hard light content to stimulate a gemstone. It was a slower, more subtle sensation than direct touching. It also allowed Lapis to tease Peridot from clear across the room with little effort on her part.

Peridot continued to put away her work as though nothing were happening. It would take a few moments to really kick in, which was probably enough time for her to finish what she was doing. Peridot loved playing this little game with Lapis. She would always “lose,” but that didn’t matter at all. She had come to really enjoy the gradual but inevitable slide from lucidity to mindless bliss.

If you had told her ten years ago that she would trust another Gem enough to allow this kind of vulnerability, she would have thought you were crazy, and yet, here she was. 

“Are you done yet?” said Lapis, trying to keep the eagerness out of her voice.

“Hm, no, not quite yet,” said Peridot, but it was becoming harder to focus, a pleasant haze lapping up against her thoughts.

She stared at a labeled sample, scrunching her face in concentration. There was something special about this one, wasn’t there? She wanted to keep it separate for some reason. It was in her notes, probably. 

“Hey, Peri?”

“Yeah?” Peridot made the mistake of turning around and looking at Lapis. Oh, stars, did she _ever_ look appealing. The sensation in her gemstone was really starting to get to her now.

“You’ve got something on your face.” Lapis grinned, gesturing to her own forehead.

“Mmhmm. Can’t imagine what that is,” said Peridot.

Lapis always looked nice, but being under the influence of gem touching made her seem almost impossibly beautiful. Looking at her, it was so easy to get lost in fantasies of holding her, servicing her perfect blue gemstone, causing her to cry out in pleasure…

“Are you okay? You’re kind of staring at me,” said Lapis, voice full of fake concern. “Don’t you have work to finish up?”

“Work! Yes!” Peridot attempted to regain her composure, but the irresistible pressure of the water bubble against her gemstone had already won this struggle. She turned around and looked at the remaining things on the workbench. She could remember, distantly, what they were for, but not why it had been important for her to put them away, especially when she had the option of dreaming about Lapis while sinking into gemstone euphoria instead.

Peridot leaned against the workbench and rested her head on top of her arms. Whatever it was she was doing before couldn’t have been that important. When Lapis teased her like this, it usually meant she had something special in mind. Everything just felt so nice, and Peridot didn’t see a reason to do anything else but be a good Gem and wait to see what her Lapis Lazuli had in store for her. 

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Lapis came up behind her, wrapping her arms around her and nuzzling her hair. Her touch felt amazing -- being cuddled in Lapis’ embrace while her water caressed Peridot’s gemstone made Peridot feel deeply warm and loved.

“Whatcha doing?” Lapis said, leaning in close to her ear.

“Waiting for you, my Lapis Lazuli.”

“Mm, good Gem,” said Lapis, causing Peridot to sigh in contentment. “I was thinking that it’s been a while since we’ve spent some time gem touching. We should take our time, do something special. Would you like that?”

“Oh, yes, that’s the _best_ idea you’ve had.”

Lapis laughed. “When you’re like this, you think all my ideas are good.”

“Well, they are!” said Peridot, stubbornly, believing it with all her heart.

“What would you like, then?”

Peridot said the first thing that popped into her head. “I want to nuzzle my cheek against your gemstone.” 

“I meant something for you!”

“That is for me!” If there was one thing that could possibly make her feel even better right now, it was the contact pleasure she would get from Lapis’ gem, not to mention the enjoyment she would have from Lapis’ reactions.

“I think I need to take the water off your gem if I want to have a proper discussion,” said Lapis, dissipating the bubble and causing Peridot to make a soft noise of disapproval. “Don’t worry, there’s way more where that came from. I just want to talk first.” She picked Peridot up -- carrying her bridal-style in her arms the way Peridot secretly loved -- and flew them into the hammock, keeping Peridot nestled in her lap.

“I’ll give you a few minutes to recover,” said Lapis.

“Sure,” said Peridot, as she gradually came back to reality. It was hard to be too disappointed when Lapis seemed determined to give her a good time.

“So anyway,” said Lapis, when she had apparently decided Peridot was lucid enough to continue the previous conversation. “You’ve been working way too hard.”

“Sorry, Lapis. It’s just so important --”

“I know.”

“--but we haven’t been spending enough time together. That’s important to me too.”

“I know it is,” said Lapis, gently. “That’s why I thought, if you’re up to it, we should do something _extra_ fun, like a roleplay or something. If you wanted to try something new, I might have some ideas. But I also thought it might be nice to do a repeat of one of your favorites. Less pressure on both of us, especially since you’ve been so stressed.”

“Hmm, a repeat?”

“Yeah, anything come to mind?”

Peridot thought back on some of her favorite things she had done with Lapis. There was the _Camp Pining Hearts_ roleplay. The time Lapis put cat ears on her and made her pretend to be a pet. The time Peridot had stolen some limb enhancers and they had done a reversal of their usual roles. The time Lapis had kept her gemstone encased in water for hours, holding her in a peaceful stasis while winding her up in ribbons and making her into a piece of art. That one was _definitely_ something Peridot wanted to do again.

Still, she was kind of in the mood for a classic, especially since they hadn’t done it for a few months. 

“We should do the one where you’re a Homeworld Gem capturing me and converting me to your side!”

“Ooh!” Lapis laughed and squeezed Peridot closer. “That’s fun! Sure, we can do that. Just one thing first.”

“Sure, what?”

“You should finish cleaning off your workbench.”

Peridot deflated. “It’s not really a big deal if I don’t --”

“And we should clean up the rest of the lair, too, before doing anything.”

“Are you serious?!”

“You can’t let the Homeworld invaders think you’re a slob, Peri,” said Lapis, playfully.

Peridot narrowed her eyes. Lapis was clearly up to something. It seemed like she had no choice but to play along, though.

“Fine,” said Peridot, sliding out of the hammock and returning to her workbench, determined to clear it as fast as possible.

She picked up the sample that had confused her before. Right, she needed to keep this one separate because it was a control. She had better re-check her samples, make sure she hadn’t made any mistakes while daydreaming.

It was _still_ hard to focus, though, and not because of her gemstone, but because Lapis was most certainly up to something. Would she encase Peridot’s gem in water again? Probably not, at least not right away, since she had just done that. Surprise her somehow? That would be the most logical outcome. Peridot really wanted to be surprised, but she also worried it would be impossible as long as she kept thinking about it.

She stole a glance over at Lapis, who looked totally serene while clearing piles of books off another table and putting them away in a bookshelf. 

“Peri? Where does this one go?” she asked, holding up one of Peridot’s manga. 

“Oh, _Princess Cutie Science Explosion?_ That’s new, there’s a stack of ‘em over by the TV.”

“Okay, thanks,” she said.

Lapis was _so_ nonchalant. The anticipation was killing her.

Peridot finished up at the workbench and, still determined to play along, moved to a different table where she had been working on a new Robonoid prototype. With everything she had to do on her kindergarten project, she probably wouldn’t get to it again for weeks, so she might as well document where she had left off and put some of the parts and tools away. It was a bit involved, but if Peridot got engrossed in her work again while Lapis was planning stars-knows-what, then that was really no one’s fault but --

Peridot was suddenly pulled away from her workbench by a blue arm, the other one clamping a hand firmly over her mouth. “I’ve got you now, Peridot of the Crystal Gems! I’ve been looking for you everywhere and I’ve finally captured you!”

Peridot’s squeal of surprise and excitement was muffled by the hand over her face. She squirmed in Lapis’ grasp, not earnestly, just enough for show. Lapis removed her hand and shoved Peridot gently up against the table she had cleared earlier, pinning her hands above her head. “Go ahead and make all the noise you want. No one can hear you down here in your own underground lair.”

“How did you get past my security?” said Peridot, eyes shining, eager to play along.

“Oh, I can be very persuasive,” said Lapis, with a wicked grin. “I got one of your friends to talk. I won’t tell you which one, but she works for me now. And soon you will too!”

“I would never! I’m loyal to the Crystal Gems!”

“Don’t worry, I have ways to make you change your mind. In fact, I think you’re going to enjoy my methods.” She used her water wings to keep Peridot’s arms pinned above her head. This freed up her hands so that she could gently drag a finger across Peridot’s gemstone, causing her to shudder and gasp. “I just hope you don’t break too easily.”

“Do your worst!” said Peridot with false defiance and real anticipation. Holding out for a while and getting Lapis to tease her until she couldn’t stand it was always fun, although a part of her always wanted to just immediately give up so they could get to the best part.

Lapis used her other water wing to flip on a nearby faucet, pulling out the water and using it to form chains. Before Peridot could even process that, she found herself lifted off the table and chained up in midair, Lapis hovering just in front of her face. She wriggled, and unlike when Lapis was holding her, she really _couldn’t_ get free that easily.

Of course, if she really wanted to be free that badly, she could just ask. She didn’t understand why the idea of pretending to be trapped while actually being perfectly safe gave her such a wonderful thrill, but then, there were a lot of things about her new life and her relationship with Lapis that she didn’t fully understand.

“Now, Peridot, I have you at my mercy,” said Lapis, dramatically. “There’s nothing I like better than when a strong, intelligent Gem like you bends to my will.”

Peridot wasn’t really gem-touched now, but being giddy with anticipation was making Lapis look extra appealing anyway, especially when she was pretending to be tough and dominant for her benefit. She was so captivated that she nearly forgot to respond. She struggled and thrashed in the water chains, partly for show and partly because she liked the way they felt against her wrists and ankles. “I’ll never join you, no matter whaaaaaa --”

Lapis had swiped one finger just along the left edge of her gemstone, immediately short-circuiting Peridot’s thought process. The roleplaying and teasing had left her particularly sensitive, so that even the slightest brush felt amazing. Lapis laughed softly, breaking character, as Peridot took a second to collect herself.

“What’s so funny?” 

“The look on your face.”

“Yes, well, just becaaaaaaaaa…” Peridot was cut-off mid-sentence by Lapis running her finger along the right edge of her gemstone this time.

“Because what? I’m listening.”

Peridot blinked and shook her head, trying to get back to the roleplay. “Because -- I’ll never join a Homeworld invader like you, no matter how -- ah!” This time, she was interrupted by Lapis very gently tapping her finger against her gemstone. “No matter how persuasive you -- you --”

Lapis continued to tap in rhythm. “You’ve gone awfully quiet. Something wrong, Peridot?”

The intermittent touches were intensely distracting, breaking Peridot’s chain of thought and preventing her from focusing on anything else. “I…” 

Lapis leaned in close. “Does that feel good? Do you want more?”

Peridot nodded rapidly. She couldn’t help herself. “Yes!”

“If you feel good now, just think how good it’s going to feel when you’re on your knees in front of me and I’m rubbing your gemstone like you deserve.”

“Ohhhh…!” Peridot thrashed lightly in the water chains as the thought overwhelmed her.

“You want that, don’t you?”

“Yes, yes _please!”_

“First, you have to submit to me, my Peridot. Remember?”

The maddening tapping on her gemstone had driven the roleplay clean out of Peridot’s mind at this point, but the growing sense of euphoria was sending her desire to please Lapis into overdrive anyway. “Yes, I submit to you,” she said, and it felt so good to finally give herself over. “I’m yours, my Lapis Lazuli.”

“There we go. Such a good Gem,” said Lapis, placing her thumb on Peridot’s gemstone and rubbing a slow circle across its main facet.

Peridot gasped in joy. The long withheld touch felt even better than she was imagining, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her.

“Doesn’t that feel so much better, to know your place, to belong to me, to let me take care of you?”

“Yes, my Lapis Lazuli,” mumbled Peridot, now completely in Lapis’ thrall. Her form relaxed, going limp in the water chains, as she savored the delicious feeling of helplessness that came from being bound and handing the very core of her being over to the care of her beloved Lapis Lazuli.

“It feels good to be calm and obedient like this, doesn’t it? Isn’t that secretly what you wanted?”

“Oh, yes, my Lapis Lazuli,” she answered eagerly. As much as she appreciated her new life, sometimes deep down she missed knowing exactly what she was meant to do and doing it. Everything seemed so _right_.

Lapis gently increased the pressure of her thumb against the gemstone as she continued to inscribe patterns across its surface, driving out the last of Peridot’s stray thoughts that weren’t directly related to pleasure and submission. “How does that feel?”

“Oh, _so_ good,” said Peridot, dreamily.

“What are you thinking?”

“I want to serve you, my Lapis Lazuli. You’re so good to me.”

“Good Gem,” Lapis said, removing her thumb from Peridot’s gemstone and booping her on the nose. “You know, you’re so cute when you’re in a little daze like this.”

The part of Peridot that might have bristled at being patronized was currently deeply buried somewhere. Instead, it made her feel warm and fuzzy. “Thank you, my Lapis Lazuli,” she said, a dopey smile gracing her face.

“Let’s get you down from there. I have something else I think you’ll like,” said Lapis, lowering Peridot to the ground and releasing her from the water chains. 

Peridot involuntarily rubbed at her wrists, not because she was uncomfortable, but because she had grown used to the feeling of being bound by water. She wobbled unsteadily on her feet, her knees having turned to jelly.

Lapis walked over to her meep-morp corner, where a rug covered the hard floor. “Come over here, my Peridot. Kneel before me.”

Her legs having turned useless didn’t seem to matter when it came to scrambling over to where Lapis was, so eager Peridot was to obey her command. She knelt in front of Lapis, looking up fondly at her beautiful, deep blue eyes and her too-rare smile. 

“Good Gem,” she said, approvingly. “This is where you belong, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Peridot agreed, “this is where I belong.”

“A perfectly obedient and submissive Peridot like you doesn’t really need to be bound, but I bet you’d like to be anyway.”

Peridot nodded cheerfully.

“You’d like to have your hands and feet bound behind your back while I play with your gemstone, wouldn’t you?”

Peridot answered in the form of an incoherent noise.

“That sounds like a yes. Good Gem.”

Peridot released a deep sigh of contentment as water encircled her wrists once more, this time pulling her arms behind her back and attaching her wrists securely to her ankles. Now hardly able to move, she gazed up at Lapis with pure adoration.

“There, now you’re perfect,” she said, holding Peridot’s chin in her hand.

“Perfect,” repeated Peridot in her pleasure daze.

Lapis dropped down to her knees, too. “So how does it feel to be my captive?” she said, teasingly.

“Like you take such good care of me.”

“Well, a good Peridot deserves a good caretaker,” she said, kissing Peridot tenderly on the lips. “And you know what? The best part of having you bound up like this is that your gemstone is _all mine.”_

Peridot bucked and wriggled in glee as Lapis brought her thumb down onto her gemstone once more, her entire world melting away into bliss and peace. 

For just a few moments, she wasn’t being crushed under the weight of a critical project. She didn’t have a to-do list as long as she was tall. She wasn’t second-guessing her choices, racked with uncertainty about the future. She was exactly where she was supposed to be, loved and cared for and perfectly content.

“I love you, Lapis,” Peridot said. She was pulling her fingers away before Peridot was totally spent, indicating she likely had something else planned. 

“I love you too,” she said. “You’re my obedient little Peridot, right? There’s something I want you to do for me now.”

“Anything at all, my Lapis Lazuli,” said Peridot, slurring her words, hopelessly drunk on gemstone euphoria.

“I want you to touch my gemstone so I can feel good too, okay?”

Peridot could already see the sparkling blue in her mind’s eye. “There is nothing I’d like to do more, my Lapis Lazuli.”

“I thought so,” said Lapis, smiling. “We should get more comfortable, though. Here.” 

She picked Peridot up and flew them into the hammock, not giving Peridot nearly enough time to snuggle up before putting her down again. She sat with her back towards Peridot, exposing her brilliant blue gemstone. “Please take it slow, okay?”

“Okay,” said Peridot, resisting the urge to nuzzle her cheek against the gem. She brushed its surface lightly with her index finger, which caused Lapis to arch her back and cry out.

“Are you okay?”

“Just sensitive!” she said. “I’ve been wanting this so bad, Peri. Keep going.”

Peridot continued to trace light patterns along the gemstone as Lapis made soft noises and clutched the hammock with both hands. After everything Lapis had done, Peridot was intensely pleased to return the favor.

“What are you thinking about?”

“How amazing this feels,” said Lapis. “Do you know how much I needed this? Do you know how hard it is to control myself when you’re on your knees and practically begging to be gem touched?”

Peridot brushed her hair off her face, leaning over her shoulder. “It’s all for you. It’s where I belong. On my knees, serving you.”

Lapis shuddered. “Yes, my Peridot.”

Peridot rewarded her by playfully licking her gemstone, causing Lapis to cry out in surprise and ecstasy. “Peri -- !”

“This is where you belong, too. I’m so glad that you trust me to make you feel good.”

“You do, you always do,” said Lapis. “Peri? Will you sing for me?”

Peridot knew exactly what she meant. The scientific portion of her mind knew that the vibrations caused by sound waves agitated the microdisruptions caused by gem touching, increasing the subject’s euphoria. The emotional portion of her mind, the part firmly in control right now, just loved the way it drove Lapis wild. She put her lips next to the gemstone, almost touching, and hummed.

“Oh -- oh!” Lapis screamed, clutching the hammock harder in an attempt to keep from thrashing. “More, please, more!”

Peridot hummed in the deepest tone she could muster -- not very deep at all, but the effect on Lapis was still such that she was very glad the lair was underground and soundproof.

“More?” said Peridot, grinning.

“I don’t know how much more I can take!”

“I can do something else, then.”

“No, that’s not what I mean -- give me more, I need it, even if it’s too much, _please, Peri --_ ”

Peridot was all too eager to oblige. This time, she kissed Lapis’ gemstone, exploring it with her lips and tongue while humming as loudly as she could to induce the pleasurable vibrations. Lapis threw her head back, practically sobbing with joy, calling her name over and over as her gemstone grew warmer and glowed blue. Peridot took the liberty of allowing her gemstone to glow, too, fusing with Lapis just ever-so-slightly. She definitely didn’t want to do a full fusion -- their fusion could be _a lot_ \-- but she just wanted to briefly share in the joy.

She could feel what Lapis was feeling just enough to confirm that she had done a really good job.

Lapis collapsed backwards, satisfied and spent, letting Peridot catch her and rearrange her so that her head was in Peridot’s lap. She blinked heavily, looking as though she had just awoken from a particularly good nap. “You’ve gotten way too good at this, Peri.”

“Me? You’re the one who keeps coming up with new and creative uses for water chains. All I did was what you asked me to do.”

Lapis’ eyes narrowed. “You’re way too coherent right now. I think you need more gem touching.”

“More?!” Between her treatment earlier and the contact pleasure she had received from Lapis, Peridot was still buzzing with contentment. “I don’t think so. Any more and you’ll render me nonfunctional.”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I want to do,” said Lapis, a sudden hunger appearing in her eyes. Peridot had just enough time to marvel at how quickly she had recovered before Lapis had flipped over and pinned Peridot beneath her, grinning.

“What are you going to do to me?” said Peridot, her mind going crazy with anticipation.

“Well, I did a number on you earlier, and you’re still pretty gem touched. I bet it would only take a little humming to make you lose control.”

“Oh,” said Peridot, simply. 

She felt as though time were moving in slow motion as Lapis brought her lips to her gemstone and sounded a beautiful, clear note. The disrupted connections in Peridot’s gem responded, vibrating in harmony with Lapis’ voice, plunging Peridot all the way down into pure euphoria. She closed her eyes and allowed it to carry her away -- just skimming the edge of unconsciousness, floating in a blissful dream that existed in the space between sleep and waking. She was truly vulnerable and helpless now, even her own mind lost to her, trusting in Lapis to keep her safe, feeling Lapis’ comforting presence intertwined with what was left of her.

She lost all sense of time as she savored her reverie, the ecstasy falling away into calm and peace. She felt as if years passed her by -- though really, it was more like ten minutes. Slowly, gradually, the connections in her gemstone began to restore themselves, spinning Peridot’s mind up into something useful again. She opened her eyes to see a very smug looking Lapis Lazuli cuddling up next to her.

“Well, you look proud of yourself,” said Peridot.

“Well, yeah, it’s not every day I get to do _that_ to you,” she said, grinning.

“It might take me weeks to recover from that.”

“That’s too bad, Peri, because I don’t know if I can go weeks before doing that again.”

“Oh, _stars,”_ said Peridot. 

“What, you don’t want me to?”

“No, it’s not that. I gotta figure out how to knock you totally offline, too. It’s not fair that you only get to do it to me.”

Lapis laughed. “You love it, though.”

“I do,” she agreed.

“Well, if you want to practice on me, I’m not going to complain.”

“Next time! You just wait. You won’t know what hit you.”

“Hmm, maybe,” said Lapis. “Or maybe I’ll just have to keep you tied up and so gem touched you can’t see straight.”

“Oh, no, don’t do that, that would be horrible,” said Peridot, in a sarcastic deadpan, cuddling up closer to Lapis. “Hey, can I be excessively emotional for just a minute?”

“After all of _that,_ you’re asking for permission to be emotional?”

“Hush! This is important!” Peridot wrapped her arms around Lapis. “Sometimes when I’m really stressed out, I wonder if it’s all worth it. All these projects, all this responsibility. _This_ is what makes it all worthwhile.”

Lapis laughed softly. “Having your gem touched is what makes it worthwhile?”

“No! I mean, yes, that’s _part_ of it, but really _all of this._ Having a home. Having the freedom to be together. The fact that you care about me and I get to care about you too. Trusting you enough to do that sort of thing with you. All of it. That’s what makes it worth it.”

“You’re such a sap, you know that?” said Lapis, tightening her hug. “You know what this reminds me of? This reminds me of why I want to keep you safe and protect you all the time.”

“And I want to make sure Little Homeworld is safe and functional and stays that way, so you have the home you deserve.”

“This is the home I deserve,” said Lapis, brushing away Peridot’s hair and planting kisses on her face. “Better, even. It’s the home you deserve too.”

“It’s good to be home,” said Peridot, holding Lapis close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks a lot for reading this little story about Gems touching Gems.


End file.
